Golf club



Aug. 10, 1943.

G. L. REENSTIERNA GOLF CLUB Filed Oct. 22, 1940 III "MINI- all I I INVENTOR. GUSTAF L- REENSTIERNA.

By Paul A. Taflifi.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. I 10, 1943 (3.01.11? CLUB r Gustaf L. .Reenstierna, UnionCity, N. :J. .assignor,

by direct and mesne assignments, ofone-third to Remo Aiazzone, Union City, N. J.,*and onethird-to Elmon C. Gillette, New York, N. V

.1940, SeriaLNo. 362,189;

Application October 22 g 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a golf club, the head of which may be adjusted to various angles in rela- 1 tion to the shaft and grip. .Among its purposes and objectsare to provide:

A golf club having an easily adjusted headand an infinite, number of adjustments.

An adjustable head for golf clubs having a securing means at the grip. v A neat, dirt-proof joint for adjustingtheangle of the head of a golf club.

- A'neat indicator for adjustable golf club heads.

A compact and solid shock-proof joint for-golf club'heads. a

A joint for golf club heads which substantially maintains the length and balance of :the golf club throughout its various adjustments.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction herein described and shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my'golf club. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the joint and securing means.

, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary,

indicator. V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showingithe positions of adjustment of the head.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the securing nut.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the securing nut;

Fig. '7 is an elevation of the securing eye bolt. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the head- Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing and in the specifications to follow." r

I am aware that adjustable headsfor golf clubs have been attempted and few have met with popular demand because the joints necessary for the purpose of adjustmentare ,tooclumsy orare not of suilicient rigidness,orfsolidityto withstand the impact and vibration. or the, adjustment-is too difficult to make quickly to suit thecondition and requirements of the shot or drive. By the detail of the joint'and gives the ,yarietydesired for any "condition of p1ay I I J The'economy .of having oneclub which serves ';theipurpose.of several, which thus reduces :the

cost of the golfers outfit, is of importahcesto -many.- 1' i I For the purpose of-.illus.tration. and 'to'avoid c onfus'ion,.1 havenotherein attempted to disclose all modifications anda variety 'of ichang'es' infthe details of construction whichrnay :be. made without departing. from the'tpri-nciples underlying my invention: :1 have shownanddescribed in 'de-i f tail, one ofthe embodiment which, it is apparent, will suggest to those skilled :in :the art to .WhlCh'll'ly invention pertains,*modifications to 1 suit, the'conditionsand requirements peculiar to j p the individual user. 7 Referring to thezdra'wing', I haveshowna-g'olf club'having the heads! provided :withajoint 2 adjusted which" permits the head to be moved in relationto theshaft3 and grip-4 The joint 2-, preferably is.provided with alball or spherical surface"'5 on the approximately spherical iend B of ':the connecting arm 1 prefer-'- ably formed: integral with the :end of the "head v and substantially central in'crespect to the front and .rear edges, :the center of the "ball being substantially above the-plane of the face of the head to cause the faceand front ledge of the I head to travel on-anarc in' relation to the-a xis-of rotatiori of the-head when swungat the" ba'll joint,

the ball end of thearm-beingadjacent the. shaft -3 whichis cupped 5' at its lower end B to re-' .ceive ithe spherical surface, 5 and to permit the head to'be partially revolvedsin said cup'ped end about90 degrees to-thus change the angle'ofthe face-8 of said headlfrom a positionabout .parallel withgthe shaft-:3 to aposition'generallyrperpen- .dicular tosaidshafuas may-be seen by referring use of my invention, these difficulties are overto Fig. 4aof thedrawingin which theposition of the face 8 ,is', shownin fulllines at an angletothe shaft while the approximate extreme posi-tions 1 to which the head mayv be swung nf-the joint' 'z is shown inbroken'lines'. -'.A=ball and socket joint is thus provided: to efiectthe adjustment on {the sphericalisurface$5,;rI have-provided indicia!) which are numerals "or characters II] caddie may be dispensed with. The use and familiarity of grip and'balance of a single club adds to accuracy. The facility of an infinite number of adjustments, in addition to those indicated,

preferably corresponding to the yarious clubs Y which my club'replaces and which'in general 9 differ only by reason of their angular disposition with'relation to their respective facesand the shaft and grip at its upper end. The several positions may-bejaccurately set by the lines-of the indicia which. conform to the lower end-edge i I 6 of the cupped pocket. I r

tom front edge I2 of the cupped end 6', thus establishing definite angular positions as indicated by said characters and lines. The head,

however, is not limited in its travel when swung to the desired angle to being securely locked at the position indicated by the characters and the lines, as any point between the lines may be used as desired to suit the experience of the user of my club. 'Because of the infinite number of positions of angular relationship between the face of the head and the shaft to which my club may be locked, it may easily replace a great number of clubs which the most exacting user would desire. f

The arm I may be of such length and so positioned'as to facilitate the many adjustments between the extremes oftravel of the head in its joint without greatly changing the overall length of the club as the'front edge I3 may be disposed only slightly above the position it is placed-as a putter when swung to the position of.a niblick, as

shown approximately by the broken lines of' Fig.4.. 3 v. a

The length of the arm I and its spherical end 6 which determine the'relativeposition of the face'and front edge I3 to the shaft'and grip may bevaried to suit the requirements of theuseri -:The-.spherica1 end 6 is preferably slotted to -receive'the. eye I of the eyebolt ISIwhichis of sufficient length to pass throughthe shaft 2 longitudinally andfout of its upper end I1 where its upper end I8 is provided with the threads I9 which engage the nut which may be secured within the adjusting cap 2! by. the splined surface 22. s

The nut may be provided with the flanged thrust surface .23 to engage the end I1 :o'f'the 1 shaft."

Theoutersurface 24 ofthe adjusting cap 21 may be grooved 25 or-otherwise made easy to grip in lockingand unlocking the .head I in the position it may have'been set'and'adjusted.

'Thenut maybe concealed andprotected from dirt'by the sleeveextension 26 which may be of the required internal diameter to-freely revolve around the uuper end of the shaft 3 which may be'enlarged for a distance near the top end I"! to provide the usual grip 4 for the club..

The eye-I5 of the eye bolt I6 is provided with the aperture 21 whichreceives the pin 28 secured in the spherical end 6 and the eye is free to move in the slotted spherical end I4 anditopermit said end to turn in said eyeas well as in the cupped V end5' of the shaft 3; The'surface or radius of the cupped end :is preferably less than the radius of the spherical surface on the end of the arm I or is recessed at a substantial part of its area 29 around said eyebolt I6 causing the spherical end 6 to become tightly wedged and clamped or locked in'position when the eyebolt is-pulled by tightening the adjusting cap by' turning it. 1

The eye|5of the eyebolt engages the pin 28 to draw the spherical end tightly into: thecupped end surface of the shaftto'lock it in'iposition.

The characters may be positioned on lines I I Unscrewing. the adjusting. cap releases the spherical end of the arm and head I permitting it to be turnedrto the angle as desired and as shown on the spherical surface by the indicia hereinbefore described.

The outer surface of the cap and the material of the cap may be plastic, wood, or heat insulating material which does not feel cool to the hands.

The joint 2 may be very inconspicuous and compact, thus causing my golf club to have the appearance of clubs of the conventional type in which the head is permanently fixed to the shaft.

The relative size of the parts and the angle of the head and'also the face of the head to the shaft and grip may bevaried to suit the user or popular demand. The joint, its movement, its

facility for locking the head and registering the .1.' In a gold club having a grip and shaft and a joint at its lower end and a head movably secured by said joint to said shaftand' having a bolt to lock said joint and head, said bolt passing upwardly through said shaft and said grip and threaded at its top end, anut of metal and a cap over and around said nut, said nut engaging said bolt and said cap being of material relatively less heat conducting than said nut and having a sleeve extension movable to revolve around said grip to turn said nut, thereby protecting said nut from dirt and moisture and-preventing said metal nut from contacting the hands.

2. In a golf club having a shaft-and a head movable in relation to said shaft, a ball and socket joint between said head and said shaft topr-ovide a wide variation of the angles of the face in relation to said shaft and to provide a substitute for the angles of all of the clubsused in playing golf, said joint having an axis of rotation at substantially right angles to said shaft, said ball and socket on said head and insaid shaft being constructed with the ball having a slightly larger diameter thanithe periphery'of the SOCkQL'IIlCflIlS drawing said ball into and jamming saidball in said socket to lock said joint against movement. I

3. In a golf club having a shaft and a head movable in relation tosaid shaft, a ball and socket joint between said head and shaft to provide a Wide variation of the angles of the face of the head in relation to the shaft and to provide a substitute for the angles'ofall of the clubs used in playinggolf, said jointhaving an axis of rotation at substantially right angles to said shaft, the ball and socketon said head and in said shaft also being adapted to lock said joint against movement, and means drawing said ball into said socketto wedge'said ball against the sides of said socket to lock said head in relation to said shaft.

GUSTAE -L. REE'NS'I'IERNA'; 

